Food Supply Chains are Ripe for Innovative Solutions to Reduce Waste and Carbon Footprint
Discussions around environmental sustainability and efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions mostly revolve around optimizing emissions by introducing clean energy solutions, more efficient transportation and industry practices, as well as sustainable agriculture. A topic that is often overlooked is the environmental impact of the food that is wasted globally.
Food supply chains are ripe for innovative solutions. Around a third of globally produced food is wasted—either spoiled in transit or thrown out by consumers in wealthier economies. Food waste makes up at least 1.3 billion tons of food lost annually, which is worth nearly $1 trillion in retail prices, according to National Geographic.[1] It is important to highlight, however, that besides economic, ethical, and social impacts, food waste has a significant effect on the environment.